Senior Braxten Rohrs makes his way toward the finish in the boys 4x800 relay race last Thursday in La Porte City. Rohrs along with his teammates Cade Rosenberger, and Josiah Houghton, Holden Schirmer took second in the race behind the host Knights. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

LA PORTE CITY — Last Thursday, the STC boys track and field team boarded the bus to head to La Porte City to compete in the Union high school track meet. This was the Trojans’ first outdoor meet of the 2024 season after their first scheduled meet at Benton was canceled due to weather conditions.

Thankfully for South Tama, weather was not an issue as the 50 degree day with no wind was well received by the athletes. With everyone ready to compete, the Trojans have athletes in every event with the end goal of loading up team points for a push for a meet win.

In the sprint events, the Trojans were able to sneak some athletes up into some scoring positions. Sophomore Nick Upah ran a time of 12.24 in the 100 meter dash which placed him 5th overall in the event. In the 200-meter dash, junior Cody Blocker ran an impressive time of 24.45 which placed him 3rd overall, which scored big points for the Trojans. Senior James Brant competed in the 400 meter dash where he won this event with a time of 53.43.

As the distance events got underway, the Trojans really thrived as they were able to rack up the team points. In the 800 meter dash senior Tommy Tyynismaa made his return to racing on the track after placing runner-up in this event at the state meet last year.

Tyynismaa won this event with a time of 1:58.58 while senior Cade Rosenberger followed close behind in second place with a time of 2:11.22. In the 1600 meter race senior Braxten Rohrs placed second with a time of 4:53.02 and senior Holden Schirmer placed fourth with a time of 5:06.84. In the 3200 meter race, the Trojans again took a 1-2 place finish, this time it was with Brant and sophomore Barrett Jesina. Brant finished with a time of 10:17.78 while Jesina followed close behind with a season best time of 10:35.74.

STC sophomore Barrett Jesina settled into a personal-record pace during the 3,200-meter run, a grueling eight-lap affair in which he placed second in a time of 10 minutes, 35.74 seconds. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

In the relays, the 4×400 squad of Brant, Etzen, Rosenberger, and Tyynismaa placed first with a time of 3:40.30. In the 4×800, Rosenberger, Houghton, Schirmer, and Rohrs ran a combined time of 8:58.36 which placed them second overall. The 800 medley relay team of Dolash, Blocker, Clegg, and Cecak ran a time of 1:41.19 which placed them third on the day.

STC was also able to find good success in the field events. In the long jump, senior Jeramy Dolash placed third with a jump of 17.10 feet while junior Tyrus Clegg placed fourth with a jump of 16.11 feet. Sophomore Tim Chandonia placed third in the shot put with a throw of 42.03 feet. Chandonia then came back in the discus with an impressive throw of 120.01 feet, which placed him fourth overall.

When the meet was all said and done, South Tama finished with a final team score of 131.5 points which placed them second overall behind the home team Union Knights who won the meet with a score of 186. The Trojans were set to return to the track on Tuesday for their home meet, but it was called off due to weather.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Cade Rosenberger, second from right, leads off the 4x800-meter relay for the Trojans. Rosenberger has set a number of personal records since the beginning of the season in March. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

South Tama senior Braxten Rohrs, left, takes off following the handoff from senior Holden Schirmer in the boys 4x800 relay race at Union Stadium last Thursday. The team placed second overall in the race with a combined time of 8:58.36. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER